The digital world and points to consider

The digital world brings advantages, but can also mean more security risks to your credit card.

11:04 07 June 2013

Many of us store content such as passwords, credit card numbers, and debit card numbers in programmes and files on our computers for “safekeeping” in case cards are stolen and need to be reported.

 

There are a few ways to try and keep your credit card numbers and other sensitive data safe, and programmes will not always be sufficient to protect the data. 

 

• Antivirus-antivirus protection is one of the first layers of protection for your credit card numbers, passwords, and other data. 

 

• Password-some software is capable of password encryption, so for any documents which have sensitive information it’s a good idea to set up a password for the document. It’s an annoyance to many, but it provides an additional layer of protection for your credit card number, debit card numbers, and passwords. 

 

• Saving-when shopping online, don’t save your credit card number, debit card number, or cheque account information for later use. The information is usually stored on the company’s server which could put you at risk if it is compromised. For extra digital protection, do not save the credit card information, or other payment data in your computer’s browser. 

 

• Browser data-clean out your browser’s history and form data on a regular basis to improve security for your credit card number, debit card number, cheque account, and any other sensitive data that could accumulate. 

 

• Digital lock-even for your personal computer it’s a good idea to have a password that you use to login to your computer. The additional measure creates another barrier for anyone seeking your credit card, debit card, or cheque account information.